Fun for Viking aficionados

Viking culture and history is having a moment in the sun currently, and you have plenty of chances to participate in the craze.

Published 02.12.2016

Viking culture and history is having a moment in the sun currently, and you have plenty of chances to participate in the craze.

The Vikings of Comic Con

The History Channel is set to renew its hit show "Vikings" for a fourth season, and the Internet is abuzz with excitement. Fans lucky enough to make it to San Diego Comic Con later this week will be treated to a variety of activities, like the chance to make a 15-second fight scene, hear from the cast and crew, see a world premiere and even receive a drinking horn and a comic book related to the series. The show has been something of a surprise hit for the History Channel, tapping into our fascination with Vikings and their culture. It's easy to think the Vikings were all about bloodshed, but an increasing variety of media - from "Vikings" itself to museum exhibits around the world - has been challenging that perception.

Cruise to real Viking territory

If you can't make it to Comic Con for the "Vikings" experience, or even if you can, consider a Norway cruise to round out your Viking leisure time. While it's a lot of fun to take part in fan activities (and by all accounts, the fan activities are going to be great at Comic Con), not much can replace the real thing. A Norway cruise can take you to the real sites of Viking history, including places from Norse mythology that you've probably heard about in your favorite stories or shows about Vikings.

What's more, you can take an excursion to a recreated Viking village and enjoy an authentic Viking feast, which is every bit as decadent and rowdy as television would lead you to believe. You'll hear from people who are direct descendants of Vikings about just how real depictions are - after all, you don't hear a lot about the trading activity of the culture in between all the fighting, or its quick adoption of Christianity once the religion made its way north. These more subtle and less bloody aspects of Viking history are perfect to explore in Norway.

Finally, booking a Hurtigruten cruise with a history expert on board means you will have the chance to hear all about Vikings and their culture, even as you witness the places they lived, fought, prayed and worked.